The Chairman of the National People’s Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, Zhao Leji, was absent from the closing ceremony of the People’s Congress session the day before yesterday (March 11), citing a “respiratory infection” as the reason for his leave of absence, sparking various speculations. The next day, Zhao Leji appeared in the party media, seemingly attempting to dispel rumors. However, some observers believe this has only heightened suspicion from the public.
According to a report from Xinhua News Agency, on the afternoon of March 12 Beijing time, Zhao Leji, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party and Chairman of the National People’s Congress, met with key party media officials and staff participating in reporting on the People’s Congress session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. As in previous years, CCTV also broadcast live news footage from the scene. In the video, Zhao Leji did not appear to show any obvious abnormalities.
The report mentioned that the Minister of the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party, Li Shulei, and the Vice Chairman of the National People’s Congress, Li Hongzhong, attended the meeting. Zhao Leji also praised the reporters for their outstanding coverage of “important activities of General Secretary Xi Jinping.”
During the “Two Sessions” period, Zhao Leji had consecutively missed several meetings and, on the 11th, was absent from the closing ceremony of the People’s Congress session, citing a “respiratory infection.” The absence of the Chairman of the National People’s Congress from the closing ceremony is an unusual phenomenon in Chinese political circles for many years, leading to various speculations.
Independent commentator Cai Shunkun had previously stated that in recent years, several close associates of Zhao Leji had been removed from their positions, and his absence from the “Two Sessions” indicates an escalation of power struggles within the upper echelons of the Communist Party.
Regarding Zhao Leji’s swift appearance, Cai Shunkun further commented that his quick appearance to dispel rumors only adds to the eerie feeling from the public. In the live news footage broadcast by CCTV, Zhao Leji appeared jovial, showing no signs of illness, raising further questions about previous rumors. “He doesn’t look sick now, so why wasn’t he allowed to preside over the closing ceremony of the Two Sessions?”
Former Inner Mongolia official Du Wen mentioned in a post on social media that it is a routine arrangement for the Chairman of the National People’s Congress to meet with media personnel after the closing of the People’s Congress session each year. He also questioned, “If Zhao Leji isn’t sick, why didn’t he attend the national People’s Congress closing ceremony?”
Du Wen believes that Zhao Leji’s appearance actually confirms his previous judgment that the rumors of Zhao Leji falling ill were likely false.
Du Wen previously mentioned in a video program that if Zhao Leji had a common cold with a cough and fever, the Secretariat and Xi Jinping would not allow him to be absent from the closing ceremony, even if he strongly requested leave. The symbolic significance of such a meeting is too great, and the impact of a Politburo member being absent is also significant. If it were a serious life-threatening respiratory disease or another infectious disease, then it would be a different matter, and Zhao Leji should not be the only one dealing with treatment and isolation issues.
Du Wen believes that it is possible that Zhao Leji is expressing discontent towards Xi Jinping or other current central authorities, and he is feigning illness as a form of protest. “This is undoubtedly a symbol of internal division within the party!”
Legal scholar Yuan Hongbing, currently residing in Australia, revealed to Dajiyuan yesterday that Zhao Leji did indeed suffer from a serious respiratory illness, but he was concerned about being marginalized. He had previously requested to “preside over the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress despite being ill” in a report to the Politburo Standing Committee, which was rejected.
Regarding Zhao Leji’s quick public appearance, Yuan Hongbing further explained that Zhao Leji wanted to assert his presence as soon as he felt slightly better. Moreover, Xi Jinping and other Standing Committee members were not present, and the official authorities did not seem concerned about Zhao Leji potentially spreading the illness to others.